hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is troubleshooting a VoIP phone that…
A technician is troubleshooting a VoIP phone that intermittently drops calls. The phone uses SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) for signaling and RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) for audio. Which ports are typically used by these protocols?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
SIP: 5060, RTP: 16384-32767
SIP typically uses port 5060 (UDP or TCP) for signaling, and RTP uses a range of UDP ports (often 16384-32767) for audio streams. Port 80 is HTTP, port 443 is HTTPS, and port 1720 is H.323 (another VoIP protocol).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
SIP: 5060, RTP: 16384-32767
Why this is correct
SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) utilizes port 5060, typically UDP, for initiating, managing, and terminating VoIP calls, acting as the signaling protocol. Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) then handles the actual audio and video media streams, using a wide, dynamic range of UDP ports, commonly 16384-32767, to efficiently transmit time-sensitive data. This separation ensures reliable call control while optimizing media delivery.
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SIP: 80, RTP: 443
Why it's wrong here
Ports 80 and 443 are standard well-known ports reserved for Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS), respectively. These protocols are fundamental for web browsing and secure data exchange over the internet, not for the specialized signaling or media transport required by Voice over IP (VoIP) communications. Assigning these ports to SIP or RTP would cause severe service conflicts and prevent proper web functionality.
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SIP: 1720, RTP: 5060
Why it's wrong here
Port 1720 is specifically designated for H.323, an older and less common suite of protocols for multimedia communication over packet-based networks, which is distinct from SIP. Furthermore, RTP, responsible for carrying the actual voice data, never uses port 5060; 5060 is exclusively the standard signaling port for SIP. This combination of ports is incorrect for a modern SIP-based VoIP system.
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SIP: 443, RTP: 80
Why it's wrong here
Assigning SIP to port 443 and RTP to port 80 is fundamentally incorrect, as these ports are exclusively dedicated to secure (HTTPS) and unsecure (HTTP) web traffic. Such a configuration would not only fail to establish VoIP calls but would also disrupt essential web services on any device attempting to use these standard ports. VoIP protocols require their own specific port assignments for proper operation, separate from web communication.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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